Senior Conference 55-the Emerging Environment In The Indo-pacifc Region: Drivers, Directions, And Decisions

Senior Conference 55—The Emerging Environment in the Indo-Pacific Region: Drivers, Directions, and Decisions, explores the possibilities and challenges that exist in this critical and dynamic region. This monograph captures three days of panels, keynotes, and discussions among a diverse group of distinguished experts.

Focus areas included shifting economic realities, political dynamics, technological trends, and forms of conflict and competition that could shape the region’s future. Senior Conference 55 assembled a range of experts taking a broad approach to the entire Indo-Pacific region to explore complex and varied relationships.

This monograph begins by summarizing the consensus recommendations that emerged during the event, followed by the substance of the keynote addresses and panels, all while maintaining a nonattributional approach that allowed conversations to tackle hard questions. This monograph presents those discussions, including disagreements and dissenting viewpoints, and serves as a foundation for future debate on possible policy.

The Indo-Pacific region is—and will continue to be—crucial for both the United States and the global community. The United States needs to increase its capacity for decision-making amid risk and uncertainty in the coming decades. This monograph offers key findings for confronting these challenges and broadens the conversation about future US policy in the Indo-Pacific.

Foreword vii

Abbreviations and Acronyms ix

Summary xi

Senior Conference 55—The Emerging Environment in the Indo-Pacific Region: Drivers, Directions, and Decisions 1

The Indo-Pacific Landscape: Opportunities and Challenges 1

Watching, Respecting, and Understanding the Region 2

Revitalizing the International Liberal Order 7

Panel 1: Economic Considerations 21

Guiding Questions  21

Changing Demographics  22

Balancing Prosperity and Security 26

Economic Statecraft: OBOR and OPIC 27

Panel 2: Security Considerations 33

Guiding Questions 33

Managing US-China Competition 35

Engaging Regional Partners and Allies 36

vi

US Army War College Countering Military Innovation 39

Panel 3: The Potential of Technology 41

Guiding Questions 41

Technological Infrastructure  42

Digital Innovation and Governance 44

Influence Operations  46

Panel 4: Forms of Conflict and Competition 49

Guiding Questions 49

Characteristics of the Regional Security Environment 50

Changing Nature of Warfare 51

Getting Creative 53

Exploring the “Indo” Side of Indo-Pacific 54

Management of State Relations across the Indo-Pacific 55

Recommendations 56

Senior Conference 55

Participants 59

Senior Conference History 62

Acknowledgments 70

About the Editors. 71

Senior official representatives from the private sector, the Federal government, Academia, think tank community, and U.S military services, plus Allied official counterparts will find this resource a comprehensive and compelling lesson in the Indo-Pacific rapidly changing landscape.